A former Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputy, who’d previously been charged with rape and unlawful imprisonment, has been charged with three more felonies after another victim came forward.
The charges of unlawful imprisonment, second-degree rape and indecent liberties were filed against Austin Case on March 27 in Whatcom Superior Court by the Skagit County chief criminal deputy prosecutor, according to court documents.
The new charges stem from an incident in December 2020, according to court documents. Case had previously been charged with six felonies for holding two women against their will and raping them between September 2022 and July 2023.
Case was arrested in July 2023 after being placed on administrative leave from the sheriff’s office in late June. He’d just completed his law enforcement training after being hired by the office in January.
The Skagit Island County Multi Agency Response Team (SMART) started an investigation into Case on July 10, 2023 after WCSO reached out requesting an investigation, according to court documents. WCSO was conducting an internal investigation based on an anonymous report.
Case refused to speak with SMART investigators before he was taken into custody.
SMART’s public information officer has not immediately responded on the investigation status.
Case posted a $250,000 bond before his arraignment in July 2023, according to court records. A check of the Whatcom County Jail roster shows that Case is not back in custody.
He was scheduled to be in court on May 8 for a status hearing ahead of a planned June trial. Now, Case will appear in front of a Whatcom County Superior Court Judge at 8:30 a.m. on April 23 for arraignment on the new charges.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
